When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, its a good core workout. If youre sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More

In the past 30 years, light artists have reimagined an art form that has always had the ability to turn the night sky, or a simple window, into luminescence. Last fall, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts turned its southern glass wall into a parade of sound-sensing lights, Lightswarm, that changes with the movements of nearby people and things. Future Cities Lab, the San Francisco design company behind Lightswarm, has originated another notable light sculpture. Located by the YBCA's steps at 701 Mission, Murmur Wall will light up in arresting ways as it incorporates local trending search engine results and social media postings. Onlookers can offer their own contributions, which will feed into the Murmur Wall's data stream and light up the sculpture. What's trending in San Francisco? If you're walking by the YBCA, you can see firsthand — at least through light patterns that reflect the city's volatile internet habits.
Murmur Wall debuts Thursday at 6 p.m. and continues through May 31, 2017, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., S.F. Free; 415-978-2700 or ybca.org. More

Latest in Calendar

Browse Best Of

Share

Latest in Best Of

Pickup basketball is a weird social phenomenon where a bunch of strangers meet at a designated spot during a designated time to engage in an athletic competition governed by de facto rules established in some mythic rulebook.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Gavin Newsom's executive order forbidding soda machines on city property from hawking sugary soda is interesting for three reasons. One, the next photographer to snap a shot of Baby Montana with a soda is famous. Two, it warrants mentioning that Newsom doesn't seem to think city workers are up to making decisions on what they should drink -- when they are up to making decisions on, you know, running our city. And, third, nutritionists tell us that, while Newsom is pitching this as an anti-obesity move, it clearly fails in that measure.

"In principle, it's a good thought," says U.C. San Francisco critical care nutritionist Irma Ishkanian of the mayor's anti-soda jihad. "By replacing sodas with soy milk or milk or juices you give people more calcium and nutrients. But as far as obesity, if you have two cans or bottles of juice, you're still having just as many or more calories. It's not really helping with obesity."

While no one could claim the health benefits of a bottle of Fanta Cream Soda and 100-percent orange juice are similar, their sugar and caloric content aren't as far apart as you'd think. And there is no distinction between "healthy calories" and "unhealthy calories." Notes Pat Booth, UCSF's associate director of nutritional services, "calories are calories -- from juice, soda, or any other food."

click to enlarge

In other words, the mayor's attempt to combat city residents' obesity by encouraging juice consumption instead of sodas is like telling someone to work on his alcoholism by forgoing beer in favor of gin and tonics -- which have some health benefits.

By the way, if you're looking to combat obesity, the best thing to drink is water. And the water running in San Francisco's taps is among the best in the world. If that's too boring -- a complaint Booth hears a lot -- there are low- or no-calorie flavored waters, seltzer, or you can buy a lemon or lime for a pittance and squeeze it into your glass.

About The Author

Bio:
Joe Eskenazi was born in San Francisco, raised in the Bay Area, and attended U.C. Berkeley. He never left.
"Your humble narrator" was a staff writer and columnist for SF Weekly from 2007 to 2015.
He resides in the Excelsior with his wife, 4.3 miles from his birthplace and 5,474 from hers.

Like us on Facebook

Slideshows

Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"